According to the Dallas Morning News’ Evan Grant, the Rangers have voided shortstop Khalil Greene’s 2010 contract following his failure to report to spring training due to ongoing anxiety issues.

It’s a sad story that continues to get sadder. Greene, now 30, battled the same anxiety disorder last season in St. Louis and hit just .200/.272/.347 with six homers in 170 at-bats for the Cardinals. He signed a one-year, $750,000 contract with the Rangers this offseason and was hoping to turn his career around in Texas. But he is still struggling internally with something many of us probably can’t understand and it sure sounds like he will not be playing baseball at all this year. Craig Calcaterra had more on the whole ordeal Monday.

Some people crap up everything they touch. Others don’t pay any attention to things that don’t matter. Baseball is a sport, an entertainment, a distraction from those things we worry about to much. No worrys, Khalil.

“How leaving a guy with acute anxiety issues – and I hope all of this isn’t a polite euphemism for the onset of full-blown schizophrenia, which strikes with its greatest force an alarmingly high percentage of the time in young adulthood. We’ll just have to leave it to the Rangers to explain to us how cutting off Greene’s means of support is going to help with the health of the patient,”
The real issue is that Greene belongs to a union. The union has negotiated the best possible deal they can for the players. So if the CBA says that ownership will pay you a gazillion $$$, but you have to take care of your own psyche issues, then that is the deal.
For example, if my employer offered to double my salary, but I need to be in LA the last week of each month, I can take it or leave it. But if I take it, I can’t complain that the week in LA is interfering with my family life. Once the terms are agreed upon, then all behavior is dictated by the terms.
In addition, if the voiding of the contract bothers you, please keep in mind that Greene has already made over $14,000,000. While I’m sympathetic to the disease, I’m not quite as sympathetic that Greene is only at $14M instead of $15M.